In an open letter, Anglo’s managing director David Evans argues that 2025 should bring new opportunities – if you’ve used your time wisely in 2024.
We’ve all had a challenging 2024, and when you compare the last 12 months to the previous two years, you can see that many factors have contributed to the tough trading conditions.
Geopolitical tensions, such as the wars in the Middle East and Ukraine, have put huge pressure on global trade, and have contributed to volatile energy prices and inflation. Changes in government in the UK and the United States have both created market uncertainty. And China’s supply of steel into Europe has affected the market both in terms of cost and existing supply chain partnerships.
While many of these factors remain as we close off 2024, I’m reasonably optimistic about what 2025 will bring, and I think that we will see an improvement in the market conditions for our sector.
I don’t think it will be the step-change that we would like to see, but it should be slow and steady.
Take government policy for example. That seems to be going in the right direction. If they manage to achieve their ambitious new house build targets, then that will benefit everybody in the fenestration industry.
And we should see continued improvements in consumer confidence, with key indicators heading in the right direction: the October Budget confirmed an increase in the UK’s adult rate minimum wage (a 6.7% rise to £12.21/hour), the Bank of England reduced its base interest rate to 4.75%, and inflation fell to below 2% in September.
Most windows go into replacement and home improvement projects, so extra money in homeowners’ pockets is no bad thing!
Success in 2025 will have its roots in 2024. I believe that if you’ve used the downturn to invest in your businesses – whether capital equipment or training people – then you will be well placed to benefit when a market upturn does materialise.
At Anglo, we’ve invested in new and efficient machinery, as well as in our workforce.
Our capital equipment investment includes a new £1 million double-sided roll-forming line, which allows us to retool one side while the other is running; and we have developed in-house training, both at our site in Manchester and within our wider Amari Metals Engineering Group family.
These targeted areas of investment have helped us to improve efficiencies, which have reduced costs and improved quality.
I am confident that we will see a recovery in 2025, and – like those other companies that have continued to invest during 2024 – Anglo will be well placed to capitalise on that upturn.
For more information, please visit anglometal.co.uk or call 0161 231 2354.
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